Improvement in curtain-fixtures



anti difirr.

NATHAN CAMPBELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. Il 1,917, dated lllay 16, 1871; antedated May 12, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT I N CURTAIN-FIXTURES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pan: of the same. 7

I, NATHAN CAMPBELL, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of fixtures in which a locking-lever is disengaged fromtheroller by the elevating-cord, and consists chiefly in a novel arrangement of such lever in connection with a spring and a frictional locking surface.

In the drawing' Figure 1 is a front view of a shade and improved fixture.

Figures 2 and 3 are side elevations of the sustaining brackets.

Figures 4, 5, and-6 are details.

The usual forms ofthis class of fixtures, consisting of a ratchet and pawl or stop, operated by the weight of the curtain, are objectionable ouacconnt of the noise made by the ratchet-teeth and stop, the liability of their not working at all when improperly put up, and the inconvenience of-giving'the elevating-cord the outward swing necessary .to unlock the lever when lace or other curtains are hung over the shades.

Inmy improved fixtures the gudgeonsof the roller A, which may be attached to the latter in any ordinary manner, rest in flxedbearings in the brackets The elevating-cord 0 passes from the spool B through an opening in the lower extremity of' the lever a, fig. 2, and thence downward near-the window-casing in the usnalmanner.

The lever a" is pivoted to the bracket 0 at the point e, nearly or quite in a horizontal line with the center of the roller, and its upper end has an elongated face, f, arranged to'come in contact with the periphery of the ring of rubber b, or -0ther similar yielding material,;upon the' r'oller or spool B.

The hub e of the lever a is formed to receive the end of a plate-spring, d, the opposite end bearing against a part of thebracket in such a manner as to force the face f against the spool or frictional surface b, as shown-in fig. 4.

It will be observed that a pull upon the cord 0 in a vertical line draws the lever over to the position indicated in dotted line in fig. 2, lifting the face f from the spool, and allowing the curtain to unroll by its own weight, the cord, meantime, running through the hand of the operator.

When the cord is released the spring (I forces the lever against the spool and looks it in that position, operating similarly also'when the curtain is elevated.

The point of contact of the lever and the frictional surface 11 lies above a line drawn through the center of the roller-gudgeon and the center 0 of the lever; consequently the greater the weight of the curtain the action of' the locking-lever upon the yielding surface I) is instantaneous and perfectly noiseless.

It is obvious from the above that some form of spring d is essential to insure the operation of the parts, and that its tension need only be slightly in excess of the pressure exerted upon the lever c by the weight of the cord and tassel.

The ring b, when of rubber, is preferably cut from a piece of hose, and sprung into a V shapcd groove in the rim of the spool B, as indicated in fig. 6.

In order to obtain quick and sure action of the lever a I provide a stop, a, upon the bracket, which limits the movement of the former just snificiently to free the face f from the spool, whereby, when the cord is slaoked the lever acts instantaneously to stop the motion of the roller.

In using light shades it sometimes happens that the left-hand gudgeon jumps out of its socket and the shade falls. To obviate this difficulty the bracket D is provided with an elongated recess, h, to receive the roller-gndgeon, and an opening in the side flange to admit the latter when put up, as described in the patent of J. Ohase, dated March, 1867 To further insure against accidents of this kind,

however, a stop, 0, is located within the recess, h,

against which the gudgeon strikes when it lifts, and an enlargement, 12, may be made in the recess opposite the lug, to allow the gudgcon to pass when entered.

In fig. 4 I have shown a substitute for the locking device above described, in which the yielding material is secured to the end of the lover a and bears against the plain surface of the roller or spool B. It is not preferable, however, to the former plan.

Instead of the plate-spring, (Z, other convenient forms may be employed, one of which is indicated in the lever a would operate similarly to the spring (I, to operate substantially as and for the purposes set but would not be so convenient. forth.

What I claim as my invention is- 3. The-bracket D, provided with the recess h and 1. The combination of the spring locking-lever astop 0, with the enlargement 1), substantially as set and spool' B with the cord 0, for the purposes set forth.

forth. Witnesses: N. CAMPBELL.

2. The stop at upon the bracket 0, in combination vF. H. CLEMENT,

with the locking lever a, and elevating-cord 0, arranged GEO. T. PARKER. 

